1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of clothing; and more particularly, to a pants construction stabilized by an integral undergarment wherein the pants are perceived to be worn below the waist.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Styles change over the years. A recent trend for persons of all ages is to wear their pants down below their waist such that their undergarment is revealed. When worn in such a fashion, the pants are sometimes secured by tightening a belt around the lower hips of the wearer. Often, however, such an attempt is fruitless, and the wearer often finds himself constantly using one or both of his hands to hold his pants in place so they do not fall down. The problem is particularly troublesome when the wearer is participating in athletics or exercising, each of which activities exerts additional forces on the pants. Use of one's hands to keep one's pants from falling down is burdensome and frustrating. Such use of the hands, and the distraction caused thereby, may hinder the performance of the wearer during many activities, including basketball, football, skateboarding, and other athletic sports.
Pants having two waistbands and pants having a waistband that is below the waist of the wearer are known in the art. However, the prior art lacks the salient features and advantages of the present invention as described herein. The following is a summary of the relevant prior art.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,034,312 to Rubin discloses a garment for boys. The garment comprises, among other components, a construction whereby trousers and the corresponding articles of underwear, may be supported from the waist and from the hips. More particularly, there is disclosed an arrangement whereby two such garments may be maintained and associated for ready assembly and disassembly, and may be supported from the hips and the waist and readily removed therefrom as a unit while in such associated relation. The respective waistbands of the boys' trousers and drawers line up such that they remain at the same level along the waistband of the wearer. The undergarment is not visible when the two garments are in their associated relation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,842 discloses pants having two waistbands. The pair of pants comprises pants defining a first waistband, the first waistband being made substantially of a first material. A second waistband is made substantially of a second material having elastic properties. Connecting means made substantially of a third material secure the second waistband to the pants. The wearer has the option of having the second waistband hidden behind the pants or visible above the first waistband. The pants taught by the '842 patent do not include an undergarment. The “sag” style, which specifically includes the visibility of the upper portion of the undergarment, in addition to the waistband of the undergarment, is not disclosed by the '842 patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,689,832 discloses sagging double bottom pants. The sagging double bottom is an added separate layer of matching fabric material overlying the rear surface areas of the trousers or pants. The added layer of fabric material covers the seat portion of the trousers or pants, as well as preferably the rear surface portions of the upper end portion of each leg. The added fabric layer is attached to the trousers or pants along the side seams and along the inseams up to and including the center seam in the crotch area. The '832 patent teaches that the sagging bottom only covers the rear seat portion of the pants and ends at the side seams where it is attached to the pants. The top waistline of the sagging bottom is unattached to the pants such that the added fabric layer extends downwardly in an arcuate configuration by the force of gravity.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,202,220 to Rhoden discloses drop crotch pants such that when such pants are worn with a garment such as a shirt or blouse, the lower edge of the shirt or blouse serves to obscure the portion of pants above the false waistband, thereby creating the illusion that a traditional pair of single-waistband pants are being worn at a level below the waist. Similar to the '832 patent discussed hereinabove, the '220 patent discloses drop crotch pants wherein the material above the false waistband matches the material below the false waistband. This configuration is not in style, especially when wearing pants without a shirt or a shirt that falls above the false waistband or is tucked-in because the preferred style is to have the undergarment of the wearer visible above the sagging pants waistband.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,338 to Caldwell discloses trouser suspenders wherein the extenders are attached directly to the undergarment preferably at the undergarment waistband, such that the waistband forms the waist strap for the trouser suspenders. Fasteners are attached to the lower end of the extenders which attach to the trousers. The '338 patent comprises trouser suspenders which comprise two extenders which are visible and reside along the outside of the visible portion of the undergarment.
Because the '338 patent relies on only two extenders to support the entire load of the pants, their support is ineffective. High load concentrations extant at the points where the extenders attach to the waistband of the undergarment tend to produce localized sagging of the waistband of the undergarments at these locations. The result can be dangerous. Physical activity can lead to the unexpected falling down of the undergarment/pants union, exposing the private parts of the user.
There remains a need in the clothing art for a pants construction which solves the problems associated with wearing one's pants below the waist so that the undergarment is revealed. Especially advantageous would be a pants construction which addresses these problems, such as the tendency for the pants to fall down, while at the same time providing a stylish ensemble suitable for people of all ages and either sex.